Procurement Officer – Lviv / Офіцер/ка із закупівель

Location: Lviv (with possible travel to Kyiv, Dnipro and Odesa)
Duration: 12 months renewable
Conditions: Employment contract, gross monthly salary between 1,863.35 Euros and 2,111.8 Euros depending on proven relevant experience for the post.
Starting date: as soon as possible

CARE INTERNATIONAL

CARE International (CI) is among the world’s largest International Non-Governmental Humanitarian Relief and Development Confederations. Drawing on more than 75 years of experience, through its 21 members, as both a practitioner and thought leader, CI’s work reaches over 100 countries worldwide to save lives, defeat poverty and achieve social justice. 

CARE’s vision is to seek a world of hope, inclusion, and social justice; where poverty has been overcome and people live in dignity and security. CARE focuses heavily on women and girls and the areas of gender equality: diversity and inclusion are at the center of our work because we know that we cannot overcome poverty and social injustice until all people have equal rights and opportunities. We recognize that power relations between people and within systems and structures are unequal and that these are entrenched in our broader systems, structures, and institutions.

At the core of the CI Confederation is a globally distributed Secretariat, which provides coordination and support to its members in areas including governance, strategic planning, communications, membership development and accountability, advocacy, humanitarian response, and program development. In addition, the Secretariat represents the CI Confederation at the United Nations and the European Union and with other external stakeholders.

CONTEXT IN UKRAINE

On 24th February 2022, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine marked a significant escalation to the conflict that started in 2014. It continues to profoundly impact the lives of people across the country at various levels. The front line is continuously shifting and there are areas controlled by Russian forces as well as cities under siege. Aerial attacks on military installations and critical civilian infrastructure are conducted throughout the whole territory of Ukraine, often resulting in collateral civilian casualties. The conflict has caused the largest population movement in Europe since World War II, with 6.24 million displaced within Ukraine and 7.68 million refugees having fled to neighboring countries. By October 26, OCHA had counted 17.7 million people in need of humanitarian assistance.

During the winter 2022 -2023, anticipated to be the worst in decades, at least one-third of the country’s energy infrastructure is damaged, leaving millions without heating and access to water. In October, the Russian Federation claimed to have annexed four Ukrainian oblasts, further increasing the challenge of access to these areas. In addition to preparing the population for the approaching winter, an ongoing priority for the international humanitarian response is to secure access to recently liberated and recaptured areas in the East and to provide aid to previously unreachable and particularly hard-hit areas of Ukraine.

CARE UKRAINE

As a new actor in Ukraine, CARE prioritizes a locally led response and is partnering primarily with Civil-Society Organizations (CSOs), National NGOs, local authorities and, INGOs with a longstanding presence in the country and access to hard-to-reach areas. CARE Ukraine deliberately and strategically prioritizes partnerships with local and national Women Led and Women Rights organizations (WLO’s/ WRO’s), in line with CARE’s Gender in Emergencies (GiE) principle and the Women Lead in Emergencies (WLiE) approach.

In the first few weeks after the escalation of the war, virtually all humanitarian aid inside Ukraine was organized and implemented by local actors. These groups (together with local authorities) remain the principal aid providers but are quickly being exhausted of funds, fuel, and physical energy. Thereby, a considerable proportion of CARE’s resources is dedicated to strengthening and supporting the capacities of local partners. 

As of November 2022, CARE Ukraine has established partnerships with twelve local/national organizations (including four WLO’s/WRO’s) and five international NGOs. From the more than 28 million that has been raised for Ukraine to date, more than half is allocated to local/national partners. Through the activities that have been implemented so far, CARE Ukraine has been able to reach 550,030 people, including IDPs and affected populations in hard-to-reach areas.

While CARE Ukraine’s office is currently located in Lviv, we are continuously working on strategically expanding CARE’s presence and reach with plans to open an office in Kyiv as well as field offices in Dnipro and Odesa, so covering both the East and South of the country.

General objectives of the role

We are seeking to hire a Procurement Officer to manage our procurements sourced in Lviv as well as supporting the CARE Ukraine advance offices of Odesa, Dnipro and Kiev in their procurement.

Working under the direction of the Logistics Coordinator, the Procurement Officer will be responsible for managing the purchase files for the CARE Ukraine coordination office in Lviv, from reception of purchase requests till the delivery and payment of requested items/works/services. Her/his main responsibilities will be to manage the logistics flows related to procurement, in cooperation with program’s stakeholders, finance coordinators and in collaboration with her/his logistics colleagues.

Main responsibilities:

Procurement

• Acknowledge, review, deliver feedback, code, archive Purchase Requests (PR) and their annexes, according to Procurement SOP and Guidelines
• Prepare quotation requests or tendering documents after the approval of PR, according to the appropriate procurement procedure, in line with SOP and Guidelines,
• Diffuse the request for quotations or tender documents in an equitable, timely and transparent manner, with appropriate level of diffusion according to the procurement procedures, according to SOP and Procurement Guidelines
• Collect the offers and prepare the Selection Bid Analysis or the selection committee documents according to the applied procurement procedures and formalize the decision with verifiable and objectively demonstrated arguments based on pre edited selection criteria
• Conduct the vetting of the selected suppliers before placing any contract with a new supplier. Ensure the regular renewal of vetting for all suppliers already incorporated in the CARE Ukraine database.
• Prepare contracts and or Purchase Ordesr accordingly to decision made at selection stage, get it approved internally and then with the supplier
• Ensure the follow up and the respect of the contracts’ or Purchase Order’s terms regarding delivery terms and conditions
• Manage, in collaboration with requesters and transport/stock/asset logistics focal points, the acceptance of goods and services with appropriate documents (Good receive notes, emission of reserves)
• Collect necessary documents to issue payments and organize payment in collaboration with finance department after submitting the complete validated file
• Collect all necessary documents for suppliers regarding transport (waybill, packing list, certificate of origins, customs clearance certificate, pro forma invoice, hygiene certificate, quality certificates insurance), as well as agreed documents accompanying goods/services/works, as per contract/PO conditions, such as insurance, warranty, user’s manuals.
• Where applicable, when transport and customs clearance need to be organized through an outsourced solution, prepare required procurement file.
• Update on daily basis, at each step of each procurement, the monitoring tools related to procurement such as the Procurement Plan, the PR tracker, the contract follow up, the vendor data base
• Support the Log Coordinator in editing the cash forecast based on the PR tracker and all known upcoming payments
• Manage the procurement files in a transparent, objectively justified, accountable, equitable, timely, rigorous and organized manner as per manuals, procurement plan, guidelines, and SOP
• Apply an appropriate, clear, accurate communication about relevant and necessary information with other stakeholders of the procurement process, at start, during and at delivery stage of the supply chain, including the non-exhaustive list of requesters, finance teammates, and logistics teammates
• Immediately inform concerned stakeholders when blocking points are identified. Request meetings with requesters or program focal point on ad-hoc bases, or request for instructions and advice by email after discussing issues with the line manager
• Ensure that the best quality for money is applied through each procurement ,and ensure close communication with requesters and overall follow up for each procurement, in order to avoid duplication of procurement as well as inappropriate purchase. Support the program department by proposing the best solution to answer their needs and objectives according to your market knowledge.
• Support the Log Coordinator in analyzing the Key Practical Indicators regarding the CARE Ukraine supply chain performance, and alert when bottle necks or systemic issues are identified
• Support the Log Coordinator in assessing the economical network through the Call for Expression process and in identifying new suppliers
• Where requested, support the advanced bases in their procurement

Archieving

• Ensure that all documents produced for all above subjects are orderly archived in hard and soft copy, as per the SOPs and archiving tree defined, as soon as document are produced, at each step
• Ensure that all archives in hard copy are marked according to the evacuation plan, by the three categories: to be left, to be taken and to be destroyed (green mark, orange mark, red mark). And ensure that destruction means are ready. Ensure that all electronic devices containing sensitive information are part the evacuation plan

Others

• When requested, support Asset/Fleet and Facilities Officers and Log Assistant on inventories count check, as well as on office relocation or installation or any collective logistics teamwork
• Collaborate closely with IT Officer, Log Assistant and Asset/Fleet Officer ensuring the preparation of delivery and actions to be taken after delivery

Security

• Identify and report to the Log Manager and the Security team monitoring on any gaps or issues that may compromise the security setup in place.
• Ensure the good respect of security and safety rules within logistics operations

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA:

The post holder should be able to demonstrate the following attributes:

• 3 years university degree preferably in Logistics, or as second choice in Business/Finance, or equivalent experience in logistics, minimum 3 years, including 1 year in non-profit/humanitarian sector, with an experience in similar positions
• Good understanding of humanitarian principles or public/private tenders governing the procurement processes,
• Good understanding of basic economic principles
• Good listening and negotiation skills as well as being comfortable when speaking in a group or in public
• Detailed oriented, meticulous, efficient and logical, the ideal candidate should demonstrate a good capacity to administrate and coordinate various type demands
• Possesses excellent oral/writing communication skills in English and Ukrainian
• Ability to work in a stressful environment and able to prioritize high workload with multiple tasks in fast-paced environment with tight deadlines.
• Strong computer skills – Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, Google, Teams/Sharepoint a plus
• Willing to travel to the field from time to time
• Ability to work as part of a team and culturally sensitive and able to work in multi-cultural team.
• Results/action-orientation; organizational skills
• Unquestionable personal code of ethics, integrity, diversity and trust
• Experience in applying processes, and procedures
• Detail-oriented, organized, and self-starting
• Strong belief in human rights and gender equality
• Highly confidential

Accountability:

A commitment to CARE values and CARE’s integrity framework is critical to working with CARE. Any candidate offered a job with CARE will be expected to adhere to the following key areas of accountability:

• Comply with CARE’s policies and procedures with respect to safeguarding, code of conduct, health and safety, confidentiality, do no harm principles and unacceptable behaviour protocols.
• Report any concerns about the welfare of a child or vulnerable adult or any wrongdoings within the programming area.
• Report any concerns about inappropriate behaviour of a CARE staff or partner.

Safeguarding:

Children and vulnerable adults who come into contact with CARE as a result of CARE activities must be safeguarded to the maximum possible extent from deliberate or inadvertent actions and failings that place them at risk of abuse, sexual exploitation, injury and any other harm. One of the ways that CARE shows this on-going commitment to safeguarding is to include rigorous background and reference checks in the selection process for all candidates.

Gender Equality:

CARE is committed to meeting the standards of the CARE International Gender Policy (2019). Through this policy, CARE seeks to promote the equal realization of dignity and human rights for girls, women, boys and men in all diversities, and the elimination of poverty and injustice. Specifically, this policy seeks to improve the explicit incorporation of gender in programmatic and organizational practices.

How to Apply:

Please send your complete application package (CV, motivation letter, references) only in English to Jo Fox at [email protected], no later than 7 March 2023, with Procurement Officer Lviv as the subject title of your email.   Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.  References will only be contacted after the interview.